Whatever Will Be
by tesseract
Summary: Padme and Beru become friends while Anakin goes to save his mother. Padme reveals a secret.


This is both my first fanfiction, AND my first short story. It's a little slow, and a bit dry, but the basic premise is that Padme and Beru become friends while Anakin is off slaying Tusken Raiders and retrieving his mother. This obviously provides the basis for Padme (or whoever) to leave Luke at the Lars farm on Tatooine.  
  
Disclaimer disclaimer blah blah blah all these characters belong to George Lucas blah blah blah etc.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Whatever will Be  
  
  
  
Anakin rose from his seat at the table, abruptly signifying the end of discussion. What little this man Lars had told him about his mother's disappearance, it was enough for him to know what he had to do.  
  
"Where are you going?" demanded Owen Lars. Anakin turned to briefly look at his stepbrother. "To find my mother!" he answered with surprise, as if the question were as ridiculous as asking if the suns of Tatooine rose and set every day. "Your mother's dead, son. You have to accept it" said Lars, sadly. But Anakin ignored him, determined as ever. So typical, so stubborn. Thought Padme, looking at Anakin. She felt his pain, and knew exactly what he would do as well as he did. He thought himself indestructible. And when adversity came at him, he would charge straight at it with no thought towards consequence. He was impetuous, self- absorbed, and tempermental – arrogant about his considerable skills and often completely disregarding authority. But one thing that had always struck her about Anakin was that he loved fiercely and passionately, he was unfailingly loyal to those who he chose allegiance to; his mother, Padme herself, even Obi Wan, despite their many differences.  
  
"I have to go" he said simply. And then he strode out the door, without a second look.  
  
Padme´ acutely felt the awkwardness around the table. "I'm sorry" she said "he tends to act far before he thinks" she smiled weakly, attempting to lighten the atmosphere. But even to herself, her quiet voice sounded hollow and forced. The unfamiliar faces around the table glanced awkwardly at one another. Someone cleared their throat. Padme politely gave half an apology and then rushed out the door after Anakin.  
  
He stood there, dark cloak swirling gently around his ankles. "You'll be safe here" he told her, suddenly commanding and businesslike instead of the young boy she so often still saw him as. She could feel his anguish and cried "Oh Anakin!" , voice full of shared pain as she threw her arms around his neck.  
  
Beru was cleaning up when Padme walked back down into the house. "So he's gone then?" she asked, turning from her work. Padme nodded. "Is there anything…I can do to help?"  
  
"Oh no, of course not. You're a guest here, there's no need, and plus, I'm almost done." Beru continued cleaning, but stopped when she saw the look on Padme's face. This girl was so…odd, Beru mused. Unlike anyone else she'd ever met. She seemed so…regal, almost. Beautiful and graceful, dressed in exotic, bright clothing, unlike Beru's drab rags. Completely out of place on this dusty planet, this lonely moisture farm. She had been quiet from the beginning, shyly introducing herself out of propriety. But despite her reticence, she had an aura of power. As if she was used to dealing with many people on a regular basis. Beru looked sideways at the strange girl again. She was sitting on the steps, looking utterly forlorn, playing with her hands. It was apparent that she was completely at loose ends, and despite the fact Beru knew nothing about this newcomer, she could see that this was out of character. Obviously she would readily welcome something to do, anything. Beru, quite shy herself, called quietly over to her "Padme?"  
  
Padme looked up quickly, dropping her hands  
  
"Actually" said Beru, giving a friendly smile "A little help would be just the thing. Why don't you finish drying these dishes, and I'll make us some tea?"  
  
Padme smiled with relief, her face lighting up with it, and pretty much leapt up from her position on the stairs, grabbing the dishcloth and attacking the wet dishes with the single-minded concentration of one who is suffering from a worried mind and idle hands. Beru smiled shyly back at her, and went to make the tea.  
  
Padme and Beru were about the same age, they estimated. Padme was probably several years older, but there was no way to tell, for on Tatooine it was often difficult to determine one's age. Many of the poorer families weren't concerned with keeping accurate records of their children's births. Beru's family, she told Padme, was very poor and very large. She had six brothers, five older plus the baby. Her mother had died giving birth to Beru's youngest brother about three years ago. As was often the case, her father hired out the older children to surrounding businesses, which was, Beru told Padme, how she had met Owen.  
  
"My father found a place for me here, on the Lars farm. He knew a moisture farm would be a much safer environment than, say, the spice mines or the spaceport, where he sent my brothers. My father, despite being poor, was…IS, a very kind man." Beru was wistful, thinking of the family she hadn't seen in years. She turned to Padme, asking "Do you have any brothers or sisters?"  
  
Padme shook her head "I do have one sister, named Sola. But I haven't seen her in a long time". Beru nodded sympathetically and continued with her story. "I was very nervous about going so far away, but Owen's father made me feel right at home. And Owen…he was wonderful. He knew I was afraid, and he helped me so much. We became fast friends, and…well..the rest is history" Beru glowed at the mention of Owen's name. Padme felt herself reflexively smiling back. "So do you still see your father?" she asked Beru, feeling herself oddly caught up in this girl's life story. She felt sorry she asked though, as Beru's face grew solemn "He got involved in some…unsavory dealings, you could say. He was killed during a trade dispute just last month".  
  
"Oh, Beru, I'm so sorry I asked"  
  
"It's alright" Beru smiled wanly "I hadn't really seen him in years. He was always gone on some sort of trade mission. It isn't uncommon around here; people die all the time." Realizing what she had just said, Beru paled, and looked at Padme. But the unspoken words hung in the air- "like Anakin's mother"  
  
Padme grimaced slightly, but tried to hide her worry. Her many years in public service had at least given her the ability to hide behind an impressive poker face. She hid her emotions nearly as well, if not better, than most Jedi. "Look at that!" she said with surprise "We've managed to drink all the tea!"  
  
Beru jumped up to make another pot of tea, glad of the distraction. Padme sat calmly at the table, pondering the course of the evening. Just sitting here, talking with Beru was so unusual for her, and so surprisingly enjoyable. She had never had a real girl friend. Having become queen at such a young age, and then going straight into politics, she had little time for friendship. There were of course the incidental friendships of youth, but no close friends. Anakin was the closest thing she had to a real, true friend, and that relationship was fraught with conflict.  
  
Beru brought the new pot of tea back to the table, and as if reading her mind asked "So how did you meet Anakin?"  
  
Padme smiled at the memory. She laughed, and spoke softly. "Anakin asked me if I was an angel, the first time I met him. Ten years ago…he was only nine or ten years old at the time, and I was fourteen. It might have seemed like a cheesy pickup line had he been any older, but Anakin as a boy was so innocent, so…completely without guile or pretense. It was such a welcome relief from the usual politicians I had to deal with…" she trailed off, not wanting to give away too much.  
  
"Are you royalty?" Beru blurted out the question she'd been wanting to ask since Padme had come to the Lars farm.  
  
"I was elected queen of…a small planet within the governance of the Republic when I was a young girl." admitted Padme. It felt good to tell Beru, but she didn't want to divulge too much, after all, she was still technically in hiding. "I've served my two terms, and since become involved in politics."  
  
"Is that why you're here?" asked Beru keenly.  
  
Padme sat thoughtfully for a few moments…"In a roundabout way, yes, I suppose that is why I'm here. I go wherever Anakin goes" then realizing how that sounded she stumbled to recover herself "I mean…he is my Jedi protectorate, assigned to me by the Jedi council, and if he decides to run off and try to rescue his mother…" she trailed off, utterly at a loss. Her new friend nodded, as if in understanding. "So Shmi's son is a Jedi?" she mused. Then turning back to Padme she asked "Did you ever get the opportunity to meet Shmi? She was such a wonderful person…Owen's father bought her from a junk dealer named…Watto, I think, a bit before he hired me. It was the most amazing thing, to see her, she was so positive. And then to see Lars free her, and then marry her. I think it was then that I realized everything was going to be fine, and that I was safe here"  
  
"Yes, I did meet her. She seemed very kind. I don't remember too well, because it was ten years ago…but it was obvious that she loved Anakin very much…and that he loved her." She sighed. Looking at Beru, she said "I didn't just come here with Anakin because I am under his protection. I came here because…because he is my friend"  
  
The emotion flooded her voice. Beru reached out, surprising herself, and took the former queen's trembling hand. "You love him, don't you?" she said, with such surety that Padme just looked at her, her very silence an admission. And with surprise, she felt tears running down her face. Padme had not cried since she was a child. She could not afford displays of emotion in her position. But here, it was different. For the first time in many, many years, she felt that she could let her guard down. She had no pretenses to uphold, nobody was depending on her. In the dusty kitchen of the Lars home, she found herself divulging her entire life story to this girl, this stranger. Her friend.  
  
That was how Owen and Cleig found the girls, when they returned from the nightly maintenance. Aside from mildly chastising Beru for using so much precious water to make all that tea, they slipped away unnoticed, understanding the gravity of the girls' conversation.  
  
*******************************************************************  
  
The suns rose over the desert landscape of Tatooine. Padme and Beru still sat at the table, and looked up through the skylight simultaneously, as if in a daze. They had stayed up all night. Talking, crying, finally laughing. What had begun as simple politeness had evolved into a friendship that surprised them both. Beru, who had been surrounded by men her whole life. And Padme, who had never before been allowed to let her guard down. The newfound friends squeezed each other's hands. "I'll never forget you" said Padme, with complete honesty. "Thank you. I truly mean it"  
  
"We'll see each other again" assured Beru "When Owen and I marry, and you and Anakin, we'll be sisters!"  
  
Padme smiled and shook her head. One thing Beru didn't seem to understand was how impossible it was for her and Anakin to be together. But…it seemed easier now. She had admitted her love for him not only to herself but to someone else. Somehow it made everything a lot clearer.  
  
"You know my secret". she teased "Don't tell!"  
  
"Cross my heart" promised Beru, and then winking "And don't forget, I'll babysit"  
  
Padme rolled her eyes, and that was when they both heard it; the sound of Anakin's landspeeder bike. Before rushing outside, the girls looked at each other, a brief, final moment of solidarity.  
  
"Whatever will be, will be" Beru squeezed her friend's hand. Padme puzzled for a moment at the cryptic message, but squeezed back before leaping from her seat.  
  
The entire household rushed outside, and Padme's heart leapt and fell simultaneously. Anakin was safe, but he carried what could only be his mother's body, wrapped in a makeshift shroud. She felt tears prick at her eyes again, and her heart breaking for him, and the kind woman she had met all those years ago.  
  
Yes, she thought, stepping towards the young Jedi she secretly loved. Whatever will be, will be. 


End file.
